Assignment 5-1, Weekly Written Analysis

            My cousin is getting married in a few months.  The traditional bridal shower is this weekend.  I am sure I will be getting all the details of the bride’s and groom’s respective bachelor and bachelorette party.  I was amazed to find out that the bachelor party has been around a very long time.  It is thought to have started as far back as the 5^th century B.C.  The ancient Spartans were believed to be the first to celebrate a man’s last night as a single man with dinner and toasts on his behalf.  These celebrations were probably more fitting of a Spartan.  Things have certainly changed since then.

            Today’s bachelor parties are more of a last night of sexual freedom and may include strippers, gambling, drinking, and just plain hard partying.  These parties can get out of hand and have been known to cause the break-up of some relationships right before the wedding.  Of course, these parties are not just for men anymore.  Bachelorette parties have become more and more popular since the sexual revolution of the 1960’s.  Yes, there are usually male strippers, going to dance clubs and a lot of drinking involved.  Both the bachelor and bachelorette party now symbolize the sacrifice of sexual freedom for both the man and woman. 

            These celebrations have become very much part of the pre-wedding planning festivities and have only become more elaborate.  These days a trip to Vegas is the new bachelor/ bachelorette party.  “I-Volution Inc., which owns two of the largest bachelor-party sites on the Web, says its websites get about 4 million visitors a year – 35% of whom focus on the Las Vegas packages” (Haire, 2009).    By the way, there are numerous websites out there to help plan a bachelor/bachelorette party including food, gag gifts, games and limousines.  I am not sure, but I find it hard to believe that bachelor parties are really much like the one from the movie, The Hangover.  Even back in the 1980’s, Tom Hanks starred in the movie, Bachelor Party, which “featured beer, drugs and strippers” (Haire, 2009).   I think popular culture leads many to think they have to be that crazy in order to be memorable.      

            I know not all of these bachelor/bachelorette parties are that crazy.  Some are actually just friends getting together to relax and forget about the stresses of the wedding planning and enjoy an evening together.  Some brides and grooms even combine their parties.  Whatever your preferred style of party may be, the bachelor/bachelorette party has definitely become part of today’s popular culture.  

Reference

Haire, M. (2009). A brief history of Bachelor Parties.  Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1904885,00.html